Bank and automobile protector



Aug. 13, 1935. G. SEARLE 2,011,120

BANK AND AUTOMOBILE PROTECTOR Original Filed Sept. 8, 1933 J4- if Evin/ oe 65020: 5594245 rraewn Patented Aug. 13, 1935 ulvl'nazo STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,011,120 BANK AND AUTOMOBILE PROTECTOR Ge rge seal-1e, Lowell lnd.

Application September 8,1933, Serial No. 688,616 Renewed June 15,1935

i 2 Claims. (01. 299-95) My invention relates generally to bank protective devices and the main object is to provide a 10 able chemical gas or liquid of. noxious qualities maybe expelled under the control of the bank tellenhome owner or the like into the face or proximity of the robbers so that they are overcome or driven away.

Another object is to provide asimple and enicient assembly of elements for thispurpose ineluding a chemical tank, an air pressure generating and storing means, a nozzle "supported for pointing in any direction, a foot operated means 1 2 for so pointing the nozzle, a hose connecting the nozzle and chemical tank, and a valve arranged to be? controlled by the same foot operating the nozzle and controlling the flow of chemical from thenozzle. Y

25 With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter the invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of parts as described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a rear or inside elevation of a bank wall or teller cage partially broken away and in section showingmy invention applied thereto, and showing in dotted. lines the foot rod. swung to one side.

351. Figure 2 is a fragmental vertical section'through the wall of Figure 1 showing my invention in side elevationand showing. in dotted lines a foot in position for operating the'foot rod and control valve. 7

40 Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the nozzle, mounting means therefor and associated elements. A

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal section along the line 4-4 in Figure 2, the wall being omitted.

45* Figure 5 is a fragmental elevation of the nozzle covering or concealing sign.

Figure 6 is anenlarged plan view on the side of Figure 3 of a nozzlesupporting element showing the method of mounting two nozzles thereon.

50 Referring now with more particularity to the drawing and in carrying out my invention as shown therein I'provide a stand I forked near its lower end at 2 providing spacedfeet 3 by which-it is screwed or otherwise secured to the i5 floor A to project vertically upward therefrom alongside and a short distance inwardly from what is hereinafter termed the outer wall B. This wall Bwith the spaced and parallel inner wall (5 form the front of the usual tellers cage and a window D and counter E are provided in usual 5 manner. At its upper end the stand I terminates 'a'short distance below the window D and has formed thereat the lower half 4 of a narrow, annular ball socket 5, the upper half 6 of which is .remo'vably mounted on the lower half by screws 10 I through the mating ears 8. A ball 9 is journaled and seated in this ball socket 5, forming a universal joint and while held therein may swing or rotate vertically, horizontally or in any inter mediate direction as will be apparent. A radially extended operating arm I0 is extended from the ,ball on theside facing the inner wallC and an axially aligned and somewhat shorter carrier arm I I is extended from the other side of the ball at a diametricallyopposite point. go An operating or foot rod I2 is mounted parallel with and inwardly of the stand I and has atits upper end a ball-socket I3 similar to that em ployed in auto steering gear drag rods and here adapted to receiveand pivotally hold a ball I4 formed on the end of the ball operating arm I0, said socket I3 including a tubular bore I5 formed in the end of. the rod I2 and apertured at one side I6 to clear the rod and containing socket heads Ilengaging and holding the said ball I4 as shown. At somedistance below thissocket I3 the foot rod' I2 is passed througha sliding and swivel bearing I8 comprising a clamp member I9 apertured and forked at 20 to encircle the stand I and secured thereon by a clamp screw 2-I and an eye member 22 having an aperture 23 slidably receiving and holding the rod I2 and swiveled by a pin 24 on the clamp member I9 to rotate or rock thereon about a horizontal axis. Below this hearing I8 the foot rod I2 is bent rearwardly or inwardly and terminates in a foot loop or stirrup 25 located somewhat above the floor A and adjacent the inner wall C, through which access is had .to this stirrup by anopening 26 formed in the said wall. I l i o a An electric motor 21 ismounted in any suitable location preferably below the floor A and is connected to a conventional air compressor or pump 28 which is adapted to compress and store air under pressure in the air-tank 29. Mounted above the tank 29 and on the inner wall dis a chemical tank 30 having afiller opening and cap 3| and connected to the air tank 29 by a. pipe 32. A control valve 33is interposed in the pipe 32 below the floor A and is operated by an arm or 55.

lever 34 extending beneath the floor and turned upwardly in the form of a foot pedal 35 project- .ing through an opening 36 formed in the floor just rearwardly or inwardly of and in alignment with the position of the stirrup on the foot rod l2. The foot pedal is normally covered by a trap door 37 hinged at 38 on the floor and lying flat over the opening 36 and the valve 33 is normally held in a closed position by a retractile coil spring 39.jextended between the floor and the arm 34 in which position the foot pedal 35 lies just fiush with the level of the upper side of the floor as shown. The air supply pipe 32 communicates with the chemical tank 323 near the top thereof and from a point adjacent the bottom of this tank a flexible tube or hose 4e extends upward between the walls 13 and C through clamps ll and over the stand l where the hose is provided witha suitable nozzle or discharge device 42 clamped on the carrier arm 5 i of the ball 9 by a clamp 53' andextended in axial alignment outward or forward from that arm., Suflicient length is provided in the, hose ii! to form a free and flexible loop ,44 allowingthe necessary play as the nozzle, :2 is moved and pointed in different directions as will be set forth.

Normally the nozzle d2isturned up or down ortoeither side so-as to clear the outer wall B butwhen turned to point outward is of sufficient length to project through an opening d5 formed in: the Wall below the window D as shown in Figur e 2. A thin paper, sign (it bearing any suitable advertising or instructive indicia is mounted in a frame llplaced over theopening 35 and serves to concealthe opening and the nozzle :32 from anyone outside of the tellers cage. J

Asuitable chemical gas or liquid having noxious or poisonous qualities is placed inthe chemical tank fiii; fronrwhich it may be blowniorcibly through the hose G0, and nozzle 42 by the air press sureied to the tankfrom the air tank 2&3 and generated by the compressor 28., Of course when the valve 33 is closed no air pressure enters the chemical tank and the chemical is not blown from the hose, To preyent any undesirable slow leakage from the nozzle 42 a rubber plug or stopper 43 (Eigure 3) may be fitted therein and loosely attached by alight chain 39 to the clamp screw lili this plug'being set sufficiently tight to prevent the-escape of chemical normally but adapted to fiy out, under the greater pressure when the compressed air is admittedto the chemical tank as will beunderstood. v In the use of the device and assumingthat a teller in the cage isbeing held up by robbersoutside the wallB the teller kicks the trap door 37 back with his heel exposing the foot pedal 35 on which his heelis. then rested; while his toe is placed on the stirrup 25, at the lower end of: the foot rod as shown in dotted lines in FigureZ. By then, raising, lowering or swinging this stirrup fromside to side the ball 9 may be rotated toswing the nozzle 42; outward in the direction of the robbers, the nozzle as'it swings outward breaking or tearing the paper sign it as shown inv Figure =lfSO as to expose its-end Simultaneously andas the nozzle is properly pointed the heel depresses the foot pedal 35 opening valve 33-and admitting compressed air to the chemicaltank causing the chemical to be'discharged from the nozzle 32 in a stream;or clouddirectlyonto and into the faces of: therobbers. They are thus overcome or driven away; according to the characteristics of the chemical-used and the robbery is. prevented. With but;a little practice the nozzle l? may bepointed falls below the desired point.

in any direction by proper vertical and horizontal movement of the foot rod l2 and stirrup 28 and the entire operation is carried out by one foot and concealed from view of the robbers. The eye member 22 of the bearing i8 permits both the necessary vertical sliding and horizontal swinging movement of the foot rod to rotate the ball 9 in its socket 5 and properly point the nozzle. By maintaining the proper air pressure in the tank 29 it is always available for use and is sufiicient at all times to discharge the chemical over a considerable territory so that by using several of the nozzle assemblies all run from the same compressed air' and chemical tank and strategically placed the entire lobby of the bank may be covered by the chemical if necessary. The motor 2'! may be controlled by a switch 5! but preferably has an automatic switch of conventional form (not shown) to vstart the motor when the air pressure A drain valve 52 is provided on the bottom of the chemical tank 30 by which the chemical therein may be drained off when desired or for practice with the device.

It will be apparent that any changes may be made in the physical arrangementv of the several parts of, my invention to adapt it to various in:- stallations not only in banks but. in all business houses and in private homesand such changes, are consideredwithinthe scope'of thisinvention. Also the device may be used upon automobiles 01' trucks by mounting the ball and socket and nozzle through the windshield or car side andcontrolling it either by handor by a suitable foot rod. In this case it may be desirableto employ two nozzles 42a and 4222 (Figure 6) and they may. be attachedto the carrier arm I I of the ball. Qby means ofa plate 53 secured to the end of the arm by screws 54 and having apertures 55 to clear the nozzles. Each nozzle may be connected to a separate chemical tank (not shown) by hoses a. and Mb and one. used to discharge a poisonous gas while the other discharges paint to mark the attacking car for future identification. or to obscure the windshield and necessitate the attacking car coming to a halt. The necessary air pressure may be obtained from the auto. engine in manner similar tothat used inconnection with some forms of air operated horns, windshield Wipers and the like. or a motor and compressor may be used as herein described.

Further details of the utility operation and ad.- vantages of my invention will be understoodwithout further description herein and while I have set forth a certain preferred embodiment of my invention it is understood that I may vary therefrom in minor details so as best to construct a practical device for the purposes intended not departing from the spirit of theinvention and within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the kind described, a stand. a ball socket on the upper end of the stand, a ball mounted for rotation in the ball'socket, axially aligned operating and carrier arms extended at opposite sides from the ball, a nozzle attached to the carrier arm, a slide and swivel bearing on the stand, a foot rod slidably and pivotally supported between its ends in the said bearing and pivotally connected at its upper end to the said operating arm, and a stirrup on the lower end of the foot rod. 1

2. In a device of the kind described, a stand, a ball socket on the upper end of the stand, a ball mounted for rotation in the ball socket, axially aligned operating and carrier arms extended at opposite sides from the ball, a nozzle attached to the carrier arm, a slide and swivel bearing on'the stand, a foot rod slidably and pivotally supported between its ends in the said bearing and pivotally connected at its upper end to the said operating arm, and a. stirrup on the lower end of the foot rod, a chemical tank, a hose connecting the chemical tank and nozzle, 9. source of compressed air connected to the chemical tank, a control valve GEORGE SEARLE. 

